Charred bodies of Kerala Minister A K Saseendran’s niece and her husband were found inside their locked Kannur home.
Police recovered a blood-stained hammer and suspect Sreelekha A K was murdered before the fire.
A case of unnatural death has been registered, with postmortem and full investigation underway.
Police have launched a probe into the mysterious deaths of Kerala Forest Minister A K Saseendran’s niece and her husband, whose charred bodies were discovered inside their residence at Chirakkal in Kannur district on Thursday evening.
The deceased have been identified as Sreelekha A K (67) and her husband Premarajan P K (76). The couple, who lived alone with their two sons working abroad, were last seen on Wednesday, neighbours told investigators.
According to PTI, the incident came to light around 6 pm on Thursday when the family’s driver arrived at the house to collect the car for a trip to the airport, where one of the couple’s sons was expected. Finding the house locked from within and receiving no response despite repeated knocking, relatives and neighbours helped break open the door, only to discover the burnt bodies inside.
Police officers said the inquest revealed head injuries on Sreelekha, and a hammer with blood stains was recovered from the premises. PTI reported that investigators suspect she may have been killed before the fire was set inside the house.
However, officers also confirmed there were no signs of forced entry. “The house was locked from the inside,” a police source said, adding that the circumstances pointed to a complex case.
Baliyapattam police have registered a case of unnatural death. The bodies have been sent for postmortem, which will determine the exact cause of death. PTI reported that the autopsy was scheduled for Friday.
Police teams have intensified their investigation, while forensic experts are expected to conduct further examinations of the house.
(With inputs from PTI)
